14, November 2016

Indo-Nepal Joint Military Training was conducted at Army Battle School (NABS), Saljhandi, Nepal

Surya Kiran-X, which was the tenth such Indo-Nepal joint training exercise between the two nations, provided an ideal platform for troops of the two countries to share their experiences on Counter Terrorists Operations and Disaster Management.

Other activities conducted during training included basic familiarisation with each other’s weapons & equipment and concepts while operating in Counter Terrorism environment.

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In Hyderabad, a coup in a coop

Source: The Hindu

In what is the first evidence of multidrug resistance in poultry sold in Indian markets, researchers in Hyderabad have isolated a bacterium in chicken that may well be the source of transmission of the drug-resistant pathogen to humans.

The pathogen, called Helicobacter pullorum, was found in broiler and free-range chickens from markets in the city, which — besides being untreatable — could also be cancer-causing.

Pullorum is commonly found in the liver and gut of poultry birds and is believed to co-evolve with its natural host.

Infected chicken, when consumed, are known to cause gastrointestinal infections in humans.

What are ill effects on human health?

Infected chicken with Helicobacter pullorum bacterium when consumed are known to cause gastrointestinal infections in humans. Besides, Helicobacter pullorum is known to produce a cancer causing agent called cytolethal distending toxin. This toxin damages the DNA and interferes with the cell cycle. Since this multidrug resistance bacterium also infects the liver, it increases the risk of cancer in the organ.

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Micro lending badly hit; surge in use of cards

Source: The Hindu

Repayments have fallen to below 10 per cent, which is typically 100 per cent for micro lenders.

The country’s micro finance institutions (MFI), which essentially extend small loans to the poor and weaker section of society and accepts repayments in cash, is one of the worst hit by the demonetisation move.

Micro lenders, which are registered as non-banking finance companies and regulated by the RBI.

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World Pneumonia Day 2016

Source: The Hindu

India still losing fight against child pneumonia, diarrhoea epidemics. The country witnessed 2,97,114 deaths from the two diseases in 2015, the report says

The World Pneumonia Day is observed globally every year on November 12 to generate awareness about the ‘pneumonia’ disease.

The day aims to highlight the severity of pneumonia and bring together the people from all over the world to promote the prevention and treatment of the disease.

2016 Theme: “Keep the Promise, Stop Pneumonia Now

The Pneumonia and Diarrhoea Progress Report published annually by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC).

The report, however, does indicate some consolation can be found in the fact that India is among the 12 nations that have improved their Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD).

India has been doing in this regard?

India recently announced a partial introduction of the vaccine in five states (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh) from 2017. India introduced rotavirus vaccines in four States in 2015.

Highlights of report:

Nearly 15 years after the introduction of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in 2000, five countries among those with the highest pneumonia burden — India, Indonesia, Chad, China and Somalia — are still not using the vaccine in their routine immunisation programmes, the report noted.

In addition to thinking of vaccines, the report points out other simple proven interventions in order to prevent these deaths, including antibiotics, exclusive breastfeeding, and access to treatment and care.

Also urging nations to go beyond business as usual, the report chronicles innovations that help speed up the process and better chase the goal of cutting down the number of preventable child deaths.

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